Re/Action on Climate Protection

The CPC White Paper Wiki

Climate Protection Campaign has a comprehensive white paper devoted to local actions for GHG emissions reduction. This paper is on the web here. Although it is presently set up for browsing only, some of the pages are set up to comment.

The real value of the wiki is to enable group development of a document. The vision was to create a living document that could serve as a roadmap for techniques and planning to reduce GHG emissions at a local level. Anyone with a good idea or insight can contribute.

If you feel that you can contribute to this effort, email me: dave[at]climateprotectioncampaign.org, and we can discuss your contribution.

What is "necessary" legislation for GHG reduction

I think that sometimes a "knee jerk" reaction of environmentalists is, "Let's pass a law!" However, especially in protecting the commons, there is no easy way to incentivize the desired behavior. So I propose that there is some minimum set of regulations that will be required for communities to pass, in order to significantly reduce GHG emissions from new development, from existing building stock and from transportation.

These new regulations are:
1. A green building ordinance
2. A "energy efficiency upgrade on remodel or sale" ordinance
3. A carbon tax
4. Land use/zoning regulations

The Forgotten Transit Alternative

Joel Woodhull, transportation advisor to the campaign, recently presented an analysis of bus transit to the Sonoma County Transit Authority. Here are the highlights from that paper. See the link for the full paper.

The Campaign rocks!

The certified copy of the County Board of Supervisors' resolution establishing the boldest community greenhouse gas emissions reduction target in the country arrived this morning. As I read it, I almost had to pinch myself. Hard to believe that what we barely envisioned last year has come to pass. An amazing confluence of events produced this, including the pioneers who back in December 2004 donated $10,000, visionary city and County leaders, the crack Campaign team, and dedicated community representatives. People outside Sonoma County are starting to be inspired by what's happening here. For example, I'm going to Santa Barbara next month to describe Sonoma County's climate protection work at a workshop. There's lots more. For now I just want to add my voice to this emerging climate protection blogosphere conversation. (Thanks, Dave.)

Let's rock this world!

Ann Hancock, Director

Low Carbon Lifestyle - Beating Climate Change One Step at a time

What does a "zero net carbon lifestyle look like"? What do we have to do in order to achieve it? How much does it cost? What is required for government? How about community action?

In Sonoma County, the movement toward significant reductions in GHG emissions has begun. All nine of our city governments and the county government have adopted targets for reducing GHG emissions in both municipal operations and in the county as a whole. For the muni operations, most of the cities have adopted a target of 20% below 2000 emissions by 2010. One city, Sebastopol, has set 30% reduction below 2000 levels by 2008 as its target.

In addition, the target set by a community workshop has been adopted county-wide. This target, 25% below 1990 levels by 2015, is the most ambitious in the country, to date.

Setting the target is the first step. Now comes the fun part...figuring out a plan for reaching the target...and doing it! Climate Protection Campaign has produced a white paper that looks at each emissions sector, and analyzes how to remove carbon from that sector. A vision emerges from that paper. It looks something like this:

Young Activist Takes a Stand

...In May 2005, the Climate Protection Campaign convened a workshop to agree upon a greenhouse gas reduction target for Sonoma County, where 32 community members came to consensus that Sonoma County should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2015, the boldest emission reduction target set by any community in the United States to date. The recommended target has now been adopted by all nine of Sonoma’s city governments, and the Board of Supervisors will vote on the target on September 27th, 2005.

Eight youth under 18 participated in the workshop, alongside city councilmembers, civic leaders, and business members. Below is the experience of Katie Arnold, the youth representative for Cotati...

Individual Action - The 10% Solution

One thing about reducing individual carbon emissions is that everyone is in the same boat. It is difficult. Taking carbon reduction in steps can be helpful. Something called the "10% Solution" is a way to start. Here's how it works...

Individual Climate Action - The Carbon Index

The Carbon Index is an unofficial rule of thumb that allows a person to make purchase decisions based on minimizing greenhouse gas emission impact. The Carbon Index is a method for making back-of-the-envelope assessments about what the GHG impact was of a particular product or service.

Tackling climate change locally - Build It Green

Ways to build support locally for green building are demonstrated by Build It Green, a Marin/Sonoma County non-profit organization. They are putting on a Home Tour of green homes, along with a series of workshops on green building for both homeowners and builders. Local elected officials from towns that don't yet have green building ordinances are invited to the home tour, where they are given background information on green building by both developers and home owners.

The upcoming home tour is on Sunday Sept. 25 in Marin and Sonoma counties. Here is a link to the Build It Green web site:

www.builditgreen.org

Another vision of greening New New Orleans

Link: WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Dreaming A New New Orleans, Version 1.

Here is another view of the rebuilding of New Orleans. The "zero carbon city" idea could easily be incorporated into this vision.